Eligibility
NIFT Age Limit and Reservation
NIFT follows the Government of India reservation policy for Indian nationals, and also has supernumerary seats for state domicile candidates, NRI/foreign nationals and others. Here are the age and reservation rules from the NIFT 2026 Information Bulletin and Admission Guidelines.
Age Limit
Programme level | Upper age limit |
|---|---|
UG (B.Des, B.FTech) | Below 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year; 5 years relaxation for SC, ST and PwD |
PG (M.Des, MFM, MFTech) | No upper age limit |
PhD | No upper age limit |
Category-wise Reservation
Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
Scheduled Castes (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% |
Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
General – Economically Weaker Sections (Gen-EWS) | 10% |
Persons with Disability (PwD) | 5% horizontal, for candidates with 40% or more disability |
Other Seat Categories
State domicile seats: Supernumerary seats for domicile candidates at several newer campuses; unfilled domicile seats go to the general pool in the final or spot round.
NRI / Foreign / OCI / PIO / SAARC: Supernumerary seats filled on the basis of SAT, GMAT or GRE scores (minimum 50%).
Unfilled reserved seats: In the last round, unfilled OBC and EWS seats are converted to Open.
Key Takeaways
UG age limit: below 24 years on 1 August (5 years relaxation for SC/ST/PwD).
Reservation: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, EWS 10%, PwD 5% (horizontal).
Domicile and NRI/foreign seats are supernumerary.
Pro Tip: Keep your category certificate in the format and validity required by NIFT. Certificates are checked at counselling and admission.
Source: NIFT Admissions 2026 Information Bulletin; NIFT Admission Guidelines 2026 (nift.ac.in)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the age limit for NIFT B.Des?
Candidates must be below 24 years as on 1 August of the admission year; SC, ST and PwD candidates get 5 years relaxation.
What is the reservation for OBC in NIFT?
27% of seats are reserved for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates.
Does NIFT have state quota seats?
Yes. Several newer campuses have supernumerary seats for candidates domiciled in that state.